A bill inspired by the tragic death of Abigail Taylor, the 6-year-old Edina girl who was injured in a freak wading pool accident, passed a crucial vote in the state Senate on Wednesday, weeks away from the start of the swimming season. The legislation would require new drain technology in all public pools across the state.

"One of the few places where a mother and father can finally feel safe is after they've dragged their kids to the pool, put on the suntan lotion, put on the water wings and taken them to the little kiddie pool," said Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, who led the drive for the legislation.

"We want to make a promise to Abigail Taylor and to her family that this kind of tragedy will never happen again in Minnesota, and we can do that with this legislation."

The measure establishes standards for new and existing public pools and requires daily inspections. It also expands licensing requirements to include all public pools. As many as 4,000 pools in the state would be affected by the new inspection requirements.

The bill (SF2833) also would require all public pools that are less than 4 feet deep to have an unblockable drain, at least two suction outlets, or a gravity drain by January 2009. All other public pools, including those at hotels, fitness clubs and apartment buildings, would have to meet the same requirement by 2011.

Abigail Taylor died on March 20, three months after she received a triple transplant in an attempt to repair damage from the June 29 accident. She was injured when she inadvertently sat on a wading pool drain at the Minneapolis Golf Club in St. Louis Park. Its powerful suction ripped out part of her intestinal tract.

During Senate debate, a provision allowing local governments additional time to bring their pools into compliance was stripped from the measure. In committee hearings, some elected officials from Minneapolis had raised concerns that the cost to retrofit some affected pools -- estimated at $5,000 each -- might force park and recreation board officials to close pools. Of the 61 wading pools in Minneapolis' park system, three have been identified as needing retrofitting to meet the new requirements. Those pools are at Fuller, Loring and Pearl parks. There is an indication that some funding for local governments might be available as grants to assist in the retrofits.

Before the Senate vote, Abigail's father, Scott Taylor, opposed the idea of giving pool operators more time.

"If they are not safe, they are not safe. I guess in my opinion you don't open them," he said.

The measure passed by a voice vote and will get a second vote in the Senate within the next two weeks. A House version is expected to be moved quickly to the floor for a vote within the next several weeks, Michel said.

Mark Brunswick • 651-222-1636